Serena Williams ended her 2012 in the very best possible way capturing the WTA Championship title yesterday defeating Maria Sharapova 64, 63. Her 9th straight win over her Russian rival gives Serena a third year-end title and a No. 3 ranking finish.

While Serena didn’t earn enough points to end the year No. 1, there’s no mistaking who’s been the best in women’s tennis of late.

Since a shock French Open loss to Virginie Razzano, Serena’s won 47 of her last 49 matches. Along the way she’s won Wimbledon, Olympic gold, the US Open and now Istanbul without dropping a set. The season rivaled her best from 2002 when she won a bulk of her “Serena Slam”.

“I think it’s been a great season,” she said comparing to 2002. “I was asked that on the court. I have to say number two only because I didn’t have two Grand Slams in the beginning. I faltered in the French and fell in the first round. I beat my record for 2002 match‑wise, but, yeah, I didn’t do so well at the French obviously or in Australia. But it’s close. It’s neck and neck, really neck and neck.”

With her terrific results, Serena really wanted to validate her season with a perfect finish. And she did.

“I had such a good year winning Wimbledon and US Open and stuff, Olympics, you know, it’s like a heavy favorite going in to win this title, so for me it was really important,” Serena said. “For my own sanity, so to say, I really wanted it, even though I didn’t need it. Like I don’t think I needed to do anything else this year or any other year, but I really wanted to end on a good note.”

“It’s been an incredible run. I really love working with Patrick,” Serena said. “He’s been really, really positive and really awesome. And I hate to lose. I think I went back to the drawing board. After Wimbledon my first few matches I was really, really tight, and I had a really great talk with my sister Isha who encouraged me a lot. I got better after that. So I think it was a lot of factors that really helped me to be able to get better.”

The next big test for Serena who finishes No. 3 is the Australian Open which she’s won five times.

“I’ll probably be one of the favorites, but, I mean, you can never underestimate Victoria or Maria or so many other players, like Kvitova, who’s doing really well,” Serena said about Melbourne. “There are a lot of other young players that are playing really well. It’s one thing to be a favorite, but it’s another thing to show up and show the reason why you’re the favorite.”

Of course Serena is number 1. I wonder how the WTA keeps justifying to themselves on keeping their stupid ranking system when it is so obvious it is flawed. Why can’t they admit they are wrong and just start fresh on Jan 1. When a person wins a tournament they get points. If it is a low tier tournament then the points are lower, if it is a midsize then the points are more. When it is a Grand Slam it gets the most points. So anyone who gets the most points at the end of the year they win. How simple is that.

Uncle Toni. “Serena would lose to any top 300 male player”
Rafael Nadal’s uncle and coach Toni Nadal stands on a particularly clear position: “Serena would lose to any top-300 players.” He cites good reasons: “Her shots hurt the women, but I do not think that they would be sufficient against a man. Her condition is also not as good as a man, and it lacks flexibility.”
David Ferrer, the No. 5 in the ATP rankings, agrees with Toni Nadal. Ferrer also sees in the footwork, the largest deficit of the WTA’s dominant player. “For Serena, it would be very difficult to win against a top 100 player. Simply because of the speed of the legs and because of the physique. Although she is very fit, I think a big difference to the men there. ”
No. 51 ranked women’s player Anabel Medina Garrigues, points out that the assessment of Toni Nadal and David Ferrer have nothing to do with chauvinism. “Serena may be physically superior to other women but when compared to a man it would be different.”http://bazonline.ch/sport/tennis/Serena-wuerde-gegen-jeden-Top300Spieler-verlieren/story/15663992

You guys and your serena worship are mind boggling. There is a certain responsibility inherent with the ranking system. That is, not just showing up when you feel like it. And these illnesses with the sisters have been drawn out long enough. I know people with Venus’ ailment (more severe) and are managing quite well. serena keeps coming up with complaint after complaint. She said herself that she considers herself an actor first, a fashion designer second (joke) and a tennis player third. You figure it out. Have some class girls like say, Maria.

Nobody worships Serena more than she does herself. But she deserves the worship be it from herself or from anybody else. She can do anything she wants. She can play anytime she wants. She can say anything she wants. You can praise her. You can criticize her. All she has to do and which she often does is beat the other player. That is how she says she couldn’t care less what anybody says.